Running

krknobbe10
krknobbe10 Posts: 110 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Is it possible to hit a plateau with running? What other forms of cardio are good for maintaining weight and not burning muscle? I always feel the best after I run. I plan an hour for cardio in mornings sometimes. Any suggestions? How many times should you do cardio a week to maintain weight and not lose muscle?

Replies

  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    Maintaining weight is a question of using the same amount of energy (burning calories) every day that you eat. Cardio exercises like running burn extra calories. They don't generally affect muscle growth at all. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body will turn to itself for energy--the fat and muscle you have. If you are going to eat at a deficit like that (to lose weight), weightlifting and losing weight slowly (keeping a small caloric deficit) will help you maintain as much of the muscle you have as possible, while losing mostly fat.

    In any case, the key to keeping or adding muscle is strength training (lifting heavy), not cardio. You'll gain significant strength and might even build a little muscle from something like swimming or *maybe* really serious cycling, but running will not build muscle.

    Running and other forms of cardio are great for heart health and overall fitness, though. :) How often you do them depends on your goals and schedule limitations.

    As for plateau--do you mean weight loss plateau? Or are you trying to run farther/faster and having trouble making progress there? The answer to the first is generally to revisit how much you're eating. The answer to the second is (a) run more miles, increasing slowly to prevent injury (b) run speed sets, for example, intervals of 3-5 minutes fast, 2-3 minutes easy, repeat.
  • krknobbe10
    krknobbe10 Posts: 110 Member
    I have seen articles where your body burns less calories because it is used to running. That is my main point. Does this happen? I don't run the exact same thing every day. It's always something different. It may be close to the same but still a little different. Two days I'll run for about an hour at a slower pace and two days I will do a HIIT workout.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    krknobbe10 wrote: »
    I have seen articles where your body burns less calories because it is used to running. That is my main point. Does this happen?

    Your running becomes more efficient, but the effect of that is negligible.

    Work on improving your pace and/ or distance to increase your calorie expenditure.

    It's not out of the question that you're overestimating the expenditure of interval sessions.

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    krknobbe10 wrote: »
    I have seen articles where your body burns less calories because it is used to running. That is my main point. Does this happen?

    Your running becomes more efficient, but the effect of that is negligible.

    Work on improving your pace and/ or distance to increase your calorie expenditure.

    It's not out of the question that you're overestimating the expenditure of interval sessions.

    Agreed on all accounts.
  • JustWant2Run
    JustWant2Run Posts: 286 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    krknobbe10 wrote: »
    I have seen articles where your body burns less calories because it is used to running. That is my main point. Does this happen?

    Your running becomes more efficient, but the effect of that is negligible.

    Work on improving your pace and/ or distance to increase your calorie expenditure.

    It's not out of the question that you're overestimating the expenditure of interval sessions.

    Agreed on all accounts.

    + 2 !!!
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